Bracadale, Isle of Skye, 1802

The Highland Clearances are underway on the Island of Skye.

The Brig Duke of Kent has come to collect 600 emigrants and
transport them to Wilmington !orth Carolina in the ".S.#.
$She takes her course from the west of Skye. She is not to call
at any port till the passengers reach their destination. Before
they em%ark %ig fires are kindled outside the houses %ags of
oatmeal are taken out and soon piles of oatcakes are ready
and shipped with the other necessary pro&isions to supply
them on the &oyage.$
They may ha&e %een put off their lands and forced to
emigrate %ut they are sensi%le people. They must prepare to
cross the &ast #tlantic ocean' $( %ig fires are kindled outside
the houses %ags of oatmeal are taken out and soon piles of
oatcakes are ready and shipped with the other necessary
pro&isions to supply them on the &oyage.$
They were now ready to undertake this )ourney into the
unknown.
What is the greatest )ourney you will undertake* #cross the
#tlantic* To #ustralia* To the moon* The greatest )ourney
any man or woman will undertake is passing out of life into
death. +ur own e,perience teaches that life will end and
death will follow.
Is it not sensi%le for e&ery man and woman to prepare for this
)ourney* The +ld Testament saint -o% said' $When a few
years are come then I shall go the way whence I shall not
return.$ So will you and I. /et us %e prepared %ecause this
)ourney can come une,pectedly at any time. We can do all we
want to a&oid the )ourney %ut it is one we will una&oida%ly
take.
Where does the )ourney into death take us* To a separation
point. $#nd He 0-esus Christ1 shall set the sheep on His right
hand %ut the goats on the left.$ The Bi%le goes on to say
$Then shall the 2ing 0Christ1 say unto them on His right hand
Come ye %lessed of 3y 4ather inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world( Then shall He say
also unto them on the left hand 5epart from 3e ye cursed
into e&erlasting fire prepared for the de&il and his angels'$
5eath is the )ourney %ut to which destination are we %ound*
To a 6%lessed kingdom prepared for us7 8 or into an
6e&erlasting fire7 of regret and remorse* How do we prepare
for such a )ourney* Some will tell us to do good attend a
place of religion %e kind to e&eryone 9 surely then we will %e
prepared*
!ot so. :reparation for eternity in&ol&es looking into our
hearts remem%ering and noting those things that we ha&e
done. :reparation also in&ol&es looking at ;od<s holiness
righteousness and )ustice= then we will see that those %ad
things that lie in our hearts are not small things %ut things that
separate us from ;od. They are sins and $The soul that
sinneth it shall die$ 0physical and spiritual death1. #nd $all
ha&e sinned and come short of the glory of ;od.$
But true preparation is more than )ust learning we are sinners.
It is learning of ;od>s lo&e and mercy. ;od offers us life if we
turn away from our sin and trust in Christ -esus. He took our
sins upon Himself and suffered %led and died in the sinner>s
place that we might %e sa&ed. But He also rose again from the
gra&e con?uering death. Because of this any man or woman
trusting in Christ shall %e raised up from the gra&e into new
life for eternity.
-esus said $They that are whole need not a physician= %ut they
that are sick. I came not to call the righteous %ut sinners to
repentance.$ @eader say with tears $/ord I %elie&e= help
thou mine un%elief.$
That is preparation for the )ourney through $the &alley of the
shadow of death$ /et us start to prepare now.
What of those left %ehind* $The people with tears in their
eyes men women and children %id farewell for e&er to their
remaining friends= and the latter are e?ually sorrowful that
they are ne&er more to see their nearest and dearest friends in
the world ...$ That ?uotation relates to the people of
Bracadale 8 how much more when death takes us from our
lo&ed ones*
$Trust in the /+@5 with all thine heart= and lean not unto
thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him
and He shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes'
fear the /+@5 and depart from e&il.$ 0:ro&er%s A'B9C1
$He that co&ereth his sins shall not prosper' %ut whoso
confesseth and forsaketh them shall ha&e mercy.$ 0:ro&er%s
DE'FA1 $The eternal ;od is thy refuge and underneath are the
e&erlasting arms.$ 05euteronomy AA'DC1
Guotes a%out Bracadale Clearances from $The 3en of Skye$ %y @oderick 3acCowan 0page BD in FH0D edition1
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